Highway marker



T. A. KIRTON Dec. 15,1931.

HIGHWAY MARKER Filed April 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 15, 1931; T A.KIRTON 1,837,127

HIGMWAY MARKER Filed April'lS, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '7: IZE ir on v I 1v Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES THOMAS A. KIBTON, OFJACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA HIGHWAY MARKER Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to means for painting markers on highways andstreet intersections and particularly to wheel supported de vicescarrying means for this purpose which may be either pushed by hand orform part of or be'drawnby an automobile;

The general object'of this invention is to provide marking mechanism ofthis character in which the paint is forcedout on to the to highway froma paint container by means of a series of atomizers operated by an airpump, thus causing a wide band of paint to be applied to the surface ofthe highway.

Other objects have to do with the mount '15 ing of the atomizers, theair pump, tanks, etc.,

and with the construction of the paint container or tank and otherdetails of structure. I have illustrated my invention as applied to ahand operated or pushed marker but I do not wish to be limited to thisas the mechanism mi ht be applied to anautomobile or other power drivenvehicle. 7

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a highwaymarker constructed in accordance with my invention; a

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional viewof the clutch mechanism;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View through the marker on the line 33of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of one of the traction wheels andthe ratchet there- Figure 5 is an elevation of the air pump used oneside of the pump casingbeing removed;

Figure Gis a fragmentary-section of one of the atomizers.

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates a frame or casing. which maybe of any suitable construction and which is designed to support a painttank or tanks.

In the drawings I have shown two of these tanks designated 11 anddisposed on each side of a motor or engine 12. The frame is providedwith the wheels 13 and the handle bar let extending out at one sideofthe frame so that the person operating the marker will not walk in thetrack laid by the atomizers.

to describe it specifically. This permits the 1929. Serial' 110,354,873.

It will be understood that the frame or rather the track laid down bythe atomizers is only as wide as the mark intendedto be used and thatthe frame has a width only slightly greater than the mark intended to beapplied to the 'pavement.

i The wheels 13 are driven from a shaft 15 as shown in Figure 4, theshaftcarrying a pinion 16 meshing with the gear 17 on each 7 tractionwheel, each pinion 16 carrying within it ordinary ratchet mechanismconsisting of the cam 18 and the balls 19. Inasmuch as this is anordinary and common form of ratchet mechanism, it is not deemednecessary shaft 15 to rotate the traction wheels in-the direction of thearrow in Figure 4 but the wheels are freeto move reversely without beingaffected by the shaft 15, assuming that the engine is not running, whenthe machine is pulled rearward. 7

Upon the forward movement of the wheels, the paint spraying mechanismbecomes operative, but upon the rearward movement of the wheels, thepaint spraying mechanism 5 becomes inoperative through this ratchetmechanism described and shown in Figure 4.

' Disposed upon the frame are the two paint tanks 11 as previouslystated. I have illustrat ed two tanks, but it will be understood thatthe machine might be made with one tank, two tanks or more tanks asdesired. Each tank is shown as being provided at its 7 bottom withthepipe 20 extending downward into a transversely extending trough 21and each pipe 20 is provided with a valve 22. The pipe 20extends nearlyto the bottom of the trough 21 and the trough 21 is illustrated asextending nearly entirely across the mav. chine,.-thougli it may beunderstood that a plurality of troughs might be used.

Disposed in connection with the trough are a plurality of atomizers ornozzles 23 shown in detail in Figure 6, the lower end of each nozzlebeing contracted and discharging transversely across the mouth oroutletof a pipe 24, this pipe 24 extending down into the trough 21 and openingadjacent the bottom thereof. The upper end of each atomizer 23 isconnected by a pipe 25 to a supply pipe 26 which is shown as extendingtransversely across the machine. This pipe 26 is connected to an airpump, the casing of which is designated 27.

I may use any form of air pump which will be effective for the purpose,but I have shown a particular form of air pump having an eccentricallydisposed rotor 28 and hinged blades 29. This pump specificially is notmy invention but is one found upon the market. The rotor is mounted uponthe shaft 30. This air pump is connected to the air tank 31 whichprevents fluctuations in air pressure and between the tank and air pumpproper, an outlet pipe 32 leads to the pipe 26. Opposite the pipe 32 arelief pipe 33 carries any suitable or ordinary form of relief valve 34such as is commonly found in pumps of this character with weights 35 forregulating the pressure. The pump is driven by means shaft 38. Thedriving wheel 39 is shifted out of engagement with the clutch member 39*by means of the shipper rock shaft 42 shown in Figure 3 which is mountedin suitable bearings and carries at its upper end a handle 44 whereby itmay be operated and adjacent its lower end is provided with the usualfork 45 engaging a circumferential groove in thehub 46 on the sprocketwheel 39. Thus the operator can at any time throw off the power so as tostop the operation of the machine.

Mounted upon the rock shaft 42 is an arm 47 connected by a link 48 to anarm 49. This arm is mounted upon a sleeve which extends over the outsideof a relief pipe and when the sleeve is raised, it raises the weightsand opens the relief valve. When the clutch is thrown out to throw themachine out of gear, the relief valve on the air pump is also opened toallow any air in the pump or any it might pump through the momentum ofthe moving parts to escape and not pass through the atomizers. Theaction of putting the machine in gear will allow the relief valve toclose and then the pump will force the air through the atomizers.

I haveillustrated a machine having fifteen atomizers, but it will beunderstood that on some machines, a much less number of atomizers willbe used as for instance some machines will have only nine atomizers andthis relief valve will permit the escape of any scribed, is driven fromthe engine.

air that cannot be forced through the number of atomizers used. It willbe seen that this machine is guided by the operator but propelled by theengine or motor 12 which also operates the air pump, this being securedby mounting upon the shaft 15 the sprocket wheel 50 which receives powerthrough the chain 51 from the sprocket wheel 52 on the shaft 38 which inturn as previously course, with the construction illustrated in Figure4, the power will be used to drive the traction Wheels forward, but themachine may be drawn rearward while the motor is operating bydisengaging the clutch 39 If the machine is used as a trailer, thesprocket chain 51 may be removed so that the motor will have no effectupon the traction wheels, but will only drive the air pump. 7

, While I have illustrated certain details of construction andarrangements of parts, it will be understood that many variations mightbe made in the detailsof construction without departing from the spiritof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The atomizers are to be placed sufficiently close together so that thepaint will be discharged downward on to the surface of the street toform a band or hands of approximately the width desired so long as themachine is moving forward. When the clutch is thrown out in order tostop the machine, the air pump will stop and the relief valve will beimmediately opened. In many cases, it is desirable that the paintdischarged upon the street shall be parti- I colored, as for instancebands of red, white and blue fornational highways. Under thesecircumstances, of course, several tanks will be used for the differentcolored paints and a separate trough will be provided for each tank withatomizers discharging therefrom. Of course, it will be understood thatthe atomizers may be disposed any desired distance from the roadwaywhich will cause the paint to spray properly upon the roadway.

It will be seen that the mechanism as described is very simple andeasily operated. By this means, the usual markers down the middle of thehighway may be readily and economically painted and the parking lines,pedestrian markers and other indicating marks of like character may bereadily applied, particularly to concrete streets. Where the machine isself-propelled, the operator can ride and paint many miles of roadway ina day.

It will be seen that as soon as the machine is driven forward, air willbe forced through the atomizers and paint is applied to the surface, butthat when the machine is forced backward, no air is forced through theatomizers and the machine does not paint. There is no leakage of paintwhenv the machine is standing idleb n h th thrown out. a

constitutes in effect a supplementary tank and that the pipes 20constantlyretainapredetermined level of liquid in this tank or trough 21just sufficient to keep themouth of a pipe 20 covered. If the level ofliquid should sink so low as to uncover the mouth of the pipe, the paintwill passfrom the main tank into the trough or supplementary tank 21. f

While I do not wish to be limited to any particular arrangement of theatomizer-s, except that they shall be closeenough together that a solidband orbands or in other/words, multiple bands may be painted upon thepavement, yet preferably the atomizers will be arranged aboutthree-eighths of an inch from each other so as to form a band or amultiple of bands approximately eight or nine inches wide. If aplurality of bands are to be painted, the atomizers are placed inbatteries of three atomizers, three-eighths of an inch apart with ablank space of a out one inch separating the batteries. This arrangementwill paint a narrow strip, leave a strip of roadway unpainted and thenpaint another narrow strip or more. 7

The construction which I have illustrated is motor driven or handguided'and the pawl and ratchet shown in Figure 4 is so arranged thatthe shaft 15, when turned forward by Y the engine will drive themachineforward. Yet the machine may be rolled forward in gear. To movethe machine backward, it is only necessary to throw out the clutch andthen when the machine is drawn-backward, the pinions make the shaftrevolve, but as the machine is out of gear this is not difiicult. V herea paint atomizer is used constructed in accordance with my invention,but propelled entirelyby man power, the pawl and ratchet are soarranged, as in the ordinary mowing machine, that when the machine ispushed forward, the shaft 15 will operate the air pump, the power beingtaken from the traction wheels of the machine, but when the machine isdrawn backward, the air pump will not be operated. Such a machine may bedrawn from place to place without operating the air pump. The air pumpis operated when the machine is pushed.

In the construction shown in the instant drawings, the pawl and ratchetshown in Figure {l is reverse from that of an ordinary hand lawn mowerand operates when the clutch is in and stops when the clutch is thrownout. When it is not desired to paint the pavement, the model is pushedwith the clutch out but without power being transmitted from the engine.It is to be understood, of course, that on the markers which areself-propelled and where the operator walks to guide the machine, thatis, the constructionwhich is illustrated in mydrawings,

. i 1 it will be necessary that the operatorin mov- It will beunderstood that the trough 21.

ing from one place=to another and where it is not desired to paintbetween certain points,

to' first throw out the clutch and then as soon as the machinehasstopped, the operator will raise the relief valve cap, manually, andthis relief valve will beheld open.

' Then he puts the machine in gear and the machinewill propel itself tothe next point to i be painted withall air escaping through the valveand none going through the atomizers. When the surface tobe painted isreached, the operator stops the'machine and releases the.mech'anismholding the relief valve open and the sliding sleeve overtherelief valve .pipe will open andclosef this valve as the clutch isthrownin and out, the engine re maining running all the time. 7 r

It will be understood that with this machine F ment ofthe atomizer-s, athree inch stripe may be painted in the middle and two one inch stripeson each side separated from the middle stripe and that by having two ormore tanks, these stripes may be painted in difi'erent colors-and thesest'ripesmaybe either separated from each other or extend side by side.

1. A highway marker of the character. described,,comprising a wheeledframe, a normally air-tight paint, tank mounted thereon and having adownwardly extending valved discharge pipe, a. supplementary tank disposed below' the first named tank. and into which the pipe dischargeswhereby to maintain a constant level. ofpaint in the lower end of thesupplementary tank slightly above the mouth of thevalved pipe, aplurality of paint idischarge nozzles communicating with thesupplementary tank adjacent the bottom thereof and atomizer nozzlesdischarging maintaining a constant level of paint .in the lower end of:the supplementary tank, a plurality of discharge nozzlescommunicativelyconnected to the lower end of the sup plementary tank and receivingpaint therefrom and atomizer nozzles discharging downward across theopen. ends of the paint discharge nozzles, and an air pump connected tosaid atomizer nozzles. a 8. A highway marker comprising a supportingframe, a paint tank mounted thereon,

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a supplementary tank mounted thereon having a length approximately equalto the width of the marking band to be painted on the highway, means formaintaining a constant levelof liquid in the lower end of thesupplementary tank, a plurality of discharge nozzle mounted uponthe-lower end of the supplementary tank at spaced distances from eachother, each discharge nozzle extending intothe bottom of'thesupplementary tank and a downwardly discharging air nozzle exterior tothe supplementary tank, and means for forcing air into said nozzles.

4. A highway marker including a wheel supported frame, traction wheelstherefor, a paint tank mounted upon the frame, a supplementary tank intowhich the paint tank discharges, means for maintaining a con. stantlevel of liquid in the lower end of the supplementary tank, a series ofdischarge nozzles mounted upon the supplementary tank,

and communicatively connected to the in terior thereof to receive painttherefrom, each discharge nozzle having associated with it an air nozzledischarging downward on to the highway, an air pump mounted on the frameand operatively connectedto the atomizing nozzles and having a reliefvalve, a motor for driving the air pump, and manually con trolled meansfor operatively (hsconnecting the motor from the air pump andsimultaneously opening-said relief valve or vice versa.

5. A highway marker including a support- 7 ing frame, a paint tankmounted thereon, a

plurality of discharge nozzles receiving paint from the paint tank,atomizer nozzles discharging across the dischargenozzles, the dischargenozzles and atomizer nozzles being disposed in such relation that paintdischarged thereby upon the highway will form a solid band, an air pump,means connecting the air pump to the atomizer nozzles, means foroperating the air pump, and means for discon necting the air pump fromits operating means and simultaneously discharging the air from the pumpdirectly into the atmosphere.

6'.- A highway marker of the character described, comprisin a supportingframe, traction wheels there or, a paint tankmounted thereon, a troughextending transversely of the frame, means conducting paint from thepaint tank to said trough and maintaining a constant level of paintwithin the trough, a plurality of discharge nozzles disposed atintervals along the trough, each nozzle at one end dipping into thepaint and at its other end extending horizontally outward above the topof the trough, vertically disposed atomizer nozzles associated one witheach discharge nozzle and discharging downward on to the roadway, thedischarge nozzlesbeing disposed in such proximity that the paintdischarged therefrom will form a solid band on the roadway, meansconnecting the air pump to the atomizing nozzles, a motor for drivingthepump and traction wheels, manually control means for disconnecting themotorfrom the air pump and the traction wheels andsimultaneouslydischarging the air from therairpump-to the atmosphere.

7: A highway marking mechanism of the character described, including apaint tank, a trough disposed below the paint tank, a pipe leading from.the paint tank and terminating short of the bottom of'the trough butbelow the top of the trough and constituting a barometric feedmaintaining a level of paint within the trough slightly above the mouthof the pipe, and atomizing nozzles sucking paint from the trough anddischarging it "on to the roadway; is Intestimony whereof I hereuntoaflix my signature; .7 H .7

- THOMAS A; KIRTON.

